Unveiling the Power of Humility: Crystal Conrad's Journey to the Making Waves Award
When Crystal Conrad received a phone call informing her that she would be receiving Nova Scotia Health's prestigious Making Waves Award of Distinction, she initially thought it was a prank. This reaction is not surprising, considering her remarkable journey in the healthcare sector.
With 34 years of experience, including 20 as a Public Health Nurse (PHN) in the Western Zone, Crystal has dedicated her career to teamwork, humility, and service. Her work in the health protection division of Public Health has been instrumental in supporting individuals and communities affected by communicable diseases, and she is quick to acknowledge the contributions of her valued colleagues.
"I am deeply humbled and grateful to be nominated," she says. "I feel like I'm just one of the cogs in the big wheel of health protection. I am fortunate to work with such a smart and dedicated team."
Melissa Legge, the PHN immunization lead who nominated Crystal, strongly agrees. "Crystal is both a mentor and a dear friend who embodies the essence of a good nurse, colleague, and community member," she says. "She does her work thoroughly and thoughtfully, handles every challenge with grace and humor, and expects nothing in return. She's a true asset to her team and Nova Scotia Health as a whole."
Crystal's passion for health protection stems from the centrality of nursing assessment skills in this field. From communicable disease investigations and education to immunization and partner collaboration, the work is complex, evolving, and engaging. "We're taking calls every day from healthcare providers looking for advice," she says, highlighting the relationships with long-term care facilities, infection prevention and control teams, and others who work together to prevent the spread of illness in healthcare facilities and communities.
Much of this work happens quietly behind the scenes. For most of Crystal's career, few people understood health protection's role in keeping Nova Scotians safe and healthy. However, the pandemic brought this previously unseen work into the public spotlight, and Crystal's focus shifted from supporting her zone to supporting the provincial response.
During that time, Crystal served as a team lead for nurses from across Nova Scotia, many of whom were new to health protection. She was joined in the effort by other Public Health team members—health promoters, dental hygienists, community home visitors, and many others—who came together with a shared focus.
"We all had a collective intention. We were all working toward the same goal of keeping the community safe," she says. Looking back, Crystal describes the experience as challenging, transformative, and affirming. She says the relationships built during that time continue today and have changed how Public Health works together provincially.
"Everyone brought their own skill set to the table. I was really proud of that experience," she says. Crystal's pride in collective success is at the core of who she is, and she credits the women who helped shape her career, including Kim Benjamin, Karen McMullin, Carolyn Power, Nadine Saunders, and Kim McGill, for their wisdom and lasting impression.
She offers this advice to young nurses entering Public Health: "Every interaction makes a difference, whether it's in person or over the phone. Be open to change. Be flexible. Take every opportunity to build your capacity. Every experience adds to your assessment abilities."
Crystal's Making Waves Award of Distinction recognizes a career built on curiosity, compassion, and collaboration. Her experiences remind us that we can have a lasting impact through daily acts of teamwork, mentorship, and keeping clients at the center of our work. She is much more than a cog in a wheel; she is a catalyst for positive change in the healthcare sector.
Photo of Crystal Conrad.
